GOP moves quickly to attack Edwards
WASHINGTON – Tapping the ever-spinning cycle of 24-hour news, President Bush’s re-election forces rushed Tuesday to define John Kerry’s running mate before he could.
Long before John Edwards could even meet Kerry for the signature Democratic ticket photo, the Bush campaign and the Republican National Committee sought in a blizzard of e-mails and interviews to brand the new vice presidential contender as an inexperienced, liberal, first-term senator who became rich as a trial lawyer.
“Who is John Edwards?” the RNC asked, answering: “A disingenuous, unaccomplished liberal and friend to personal-injury trial lawyers.”
At the same time, the Bush campaign began airing a new television commercial showing Sen. John McCain’s enthusiastic embrace of the president recently on the campaign trail.
The Republican senator from Arizona had been wooed by Kerry to join him on the Democratic ticket.
Called “First Choice,” the 60-second spot was designed to suggest that Kerry’s running mate pick was his second choice.
“John Kerry couldn’t get his first choice, so he took a poll,” said Bush campaign manager Ken Mehlman.
The Kerry campaign promoted Edwards in its own blitz of e-mails as a nationally prominent lawyer who has been described in news reports as an “avenging angel” and a “modern day Robin Hood.”
Taking the high road as his political operatives tried to undercut Edwards, Bush politely welcomed the senator to the campaign fray during a brief meeting with reporters in the Oval Office.
“I look forward to a good, spirited contest,” said Bush, who will be campaigning today in Edwards’ home state, North Carolina – a trip the White House said is a coincidence.
Vice President Dick Cheney also welcomed Edwards to the race in a midmorning telephone call.
“The vice president told Sen. Edwards that he looks forward to their debate and a spirited campaign that he hopes will reflect credit on the process,” said Cheney spokesman Kevin Kellems.
Cheney and Edwards are scheduled to debate Oct. 5 in Cleveland.
In many ways, it will be the old vs. the new – the 63-year-old vice president, a former congressman, Defense secretary and White House chief of staff vs. the 51-year-old, first-term senator, a fresh political face who won his first bid for public office in 1998.
“He is glib, and he is an experienced trial-lawyer debater,” Mehlman said, sizing up Edwards. “But I believe substance is more important.”
No matter whom Kerry might have picked, Mehlman said, “The one thing I was not even thinking about, or worried about, was how the vice president would do in debates.”